Improvement in velocipedes



` J. Wj GILBERT.

Velo'cipede.`

No. 222,779. Patented Dec. 23, 1879.

Urrn Param-'r OFFICE.

JAMES W. GILBERT, OF LOUISVILLE, KENTUCKY.

IMPROVEMENT lN VELOCIPEDES.

Speccation formn g part of Letter s Patent No. 222,779. datedDeeembe123, 1879; application filed September 20, 1879.

To all whom it may concern.:

Be it known that I, JAMES WV. GILBERT, of the city of Louisville, in thecounty of J eiferson and State of Kentucky, have invented a certain newand useful Improvement in Velocipedes; and I do hereby declare that thefollowing is a full, clear, and exact description of theconstruction andoperation of the saine, reference being had to the accompanyingdra-wings, forming part of this specification, and to the lettersofreterence marked thereon.

Figure 1 is a perspective view of the Inachine with part of one wheelcut away in order to show the inner frame with its seat, brake,foot-rest, and the several devices for guiding the machine. Fig. 2 is aperspective view of the inner frame, showing the arrangement of theseat, foot-rest, and brake, including the guiding mechanism. Fig. 3 is asectional view of the compoundgearing wheels, showing the ratchets andpawls by which they are operated. Fig. 4 is a plan view ofthe drivingcrank and pinion, showin g the ratchet and pawls thereon.

This invention relates to a certain new and useful improvement invelocipedes, consisting in a machine mounted upon three wheels, two ofwhich are made large in diameter to answer as drivers, and fastened tothe ends of what is called a crank 7 or drop-axle by means of stationaryspindles in the hub of the wheels passing through sleeves or bossesformed on the axle. These spindles are further provided with a series ofcompound gearing to be used in ascending grades, which can be instantlyapplied by simply turning a trigger without any chan geof the cranks bywhich the machine is operated.

The front part of the frame of the machine is made to rest upon and issecured to the lower part of the drop-axle, and extends out in frontsufficient to form a foot-rest, which consists in arope or chain pulleyhinged to the frame below for the purpose of guiding the machine, whichis done by the feet, while the frame immediately over and in the rear ofthe axle is raised sufficient to place the seat in a convenient positionfor operating the cranks in driving the machine, while the rear end ofthe frame is supported by the third or rudder wheel pivoted under it,somewhat similar to an ordinary fth-wheel, with the base part made toanswer as a sheave or pulley for the rope or chain extending back fromthe footrvst pulley, by which the machine is guided.

The pulley part of the fifth-wheel has aboss on the top that works intoan opening in a corresponding ring secured to the under side of theframe, while the spindle of the clevis extends above the pulley andispivoted to the under side of the frame on which the seat rests, and uponwhich the brakes are arranged in such manner as to be operated bypressure from the back of the rider in descending grades.

The object of this invention is to provide a machine for the transit ofpersons on streets, common roads, or otherwise that will be light,durable, and easily operated, and susceptible of attaining a moderatedegree of speed on comparatively level roads when operated without theadditional gearing, but which can readily be applied in ascendinggrades, thereby greatly increasing the power, but with a correspondin gsacrifice of speed; but in dev scending grades the speed may beregulated by the brakes arranged for that purpose.

This invention will be more fully illustrated in detail in perspectiveviews, Figs. 1 and 2, sectional view, Fig. 3, and plan view, ig. 4, ofthe drawings, in which A A are the driving-wheels of the machine, whichmay be made in any suitable manner. B is the rudder or guiding-wheel. Ois the drop-axle, which is made in form as show'n in the drawings. l)are the lower, and E are the upper, sleeves or bosses for thegearing-spindles. F is the hub ofthe wheels. G is the large drivingcog-wheel, which is secured permanently to spindle J of the maindriving-wheels. is the large pinion to which the crank K is attached,and is made to work loose on the end of spindle J. I is a small ratchetsecured on the end of spindle J, inside of the pinion H. K is theoperating'crank on the face of pinion H. L is the pawl, and N is thetrigger for hol'ding it up when not in use. O is the large wheel placedlooselyon spindle I. Q is a small ratchet secured on the end of spindleP, outside of the wheel. It is the pawl, and S is the spring for holdingit down. T is the small wheel on spindle P, but is made fast on thespindle in order to drive it when operating the compound gearing. Thesewheels T O and G H all work into each other without being thrown out,and constitute the compound gearing, and, as a substitute for un gearingthe large wheel 0 and small wheel H, they work loose on their respectivespindles, and, by means of the crank K, when the pawl L engages withratchet I, the machine will be driven single or without the aid ofgearing, the wheel O simply turning on the spindle; but when necessaryto increase power in ascending grades, it only requires the pawl L to beraised up so as to disengage it from the teeth of ratchet I to apply thewhole power of the compound gearing, which is at least four to one, butof coursel with less speed, the's'pindle J turning in wheel H.

U is the lower part of the frame of the machine, and V V is the upperpart, on which the seat D rests. WY is the foot-rest and guiding-pulleycombined, and is made to work on a similar ring secured to the frameunder it. X are braces for holding' up the front while the rider ismounting. Y is the clevis in which the rudder-wheel works. Z is thepulley o r fifth wheel secured on the spindle above it, and is made toanswer as a pulleyv for the rope or chain by which it is guided.

A( is a boss on the top, which works in an opening in the ring B', whichis secured to the frame, and answers as the upper part of thefifth-wheel, through which the upper end of the olevis-spindle passes,and is pivoted under the frame C. D is the seat, which is iliade to reston the frontpart of the frame V V, and is made in form as shown inthedrawings. E is the back-rest ot' the brakes, by which they are operated.F are the rubbers. G are the springs for replacing them after beingclosed up. H are braces for supporting the drop-axle C. I is the ropebelt for guiding the machine.

Having thus fully described my invention, its operation after the rideris seated is simply that of letting1 down the pawl L, so as to engagewith the ratchet I, and by means of turning the cranks K the machinewill be driven single or out of gear, by which means the highest rate ofspeed may be attained; but in ascending grades it becomes necessary todisen gage the pa'wl L from ratchet I, thereby leaving crank K tooperate wheel H, which gears into wheel O, thereby compounding orincreasing the power at least four to one, but, of course, at asacrifice of speed; but in de scending grades it is only necessary toapply the brake E by pressing the back against it, and the machine willdescend with ease or at any required rate of speed. Y

I is a wire rope or chain, by which the machine is guided. This ropepasses around the foot-rest pulley W and throughV eyes on axle G, afterwhich it is crossed and extends up and around the rudder-wheel pulley Z,forming a continuous band around these pulleys, by which the machineisguided.

Having thus fully described the nature and object of this my invention,what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, invelocipedes is 1. The combination of the compound-gwn ing wheels G H andO T and the drop-axle C, with its sleeves D and E, as above described,When the wheels O and H are made to work loose on the spindles, with thecrank K and stationary ratchet-wheels I and Q, with their pawls L andIt, by means of which the power is changed, when arranged, constructed,and operating substantially as and for the purpose hereinbefore setforth.

2. The combination of the frame U and V V, seat D, and foot-rest W, withits legs X, when made to answer as a step in mounting the machine, andalso asta pulley for the rope l', by which the machine is guided,substantially as herein described, and for the purpose set forth. l

JAMES W. GILBERT.

Witnesses C. IjIEwI'r'r, FRANK PAnnoN.

